We saw what Ford Field looks like for a Detroit Lions playoff game last season. It was perhaps the best atmosphere in the NFL.

Imagine what it would be like if the Lions had won a Super Bowl at home as the top seed in the NFC.

A rather miraculous win at the Houston Texans last week has the Lions at 8-1 and in good shape for the top seed and a bye. The Lions were the best team in the NFC, maybe the NFLand it’s getting harder and harder to figure out who could take down Detroit in January.

But here’s a reminder that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Lions in a close game in Week 2 when the Bucs were outscored 463-216. Sporadic losses can happen, even in the playoffs.

The Lions are far from unbeatable and the NFC should have a good playoff field, but only two teams stand out as threats to keep Detroit from its first Super Bowl. Here’s a look at potential playoff foils for the Lions:

Good, but probably not: Vikings, Packers, Commanders, Cardinals, Falcons

We are not accepting applications from teams below .500 at this time. NFC is too deep for that. So while a team like the Chicago Bears or Buccaneers could make a run and then be a giant killer in January, we’ll wait and see if that happens.

There are arguments to be made for the Vikings and Packers, though the bigger issue is that the Lions have already beaten both of them on the road. It’s tough to pick either to win at Ford Field in a playoff game, though every team is capable. Especially if Minnesota can fix Sam Darnold’s turnover slump.

Commanders, Cardinals and Falcons all fall into the same bucket. They can all score, but it’s hard to imagine their defense being good enough to slow down the Lions. The Chiefs and Cardinals defense in particular has been much better than expected, but are they stopping Detroit? Probably not. They will depend on getting past the Lions in a high-scoring game and that is a tough ask.

Two other top NFC teams match up better, though.

The eagles are coming

The Philadelphia Eagles were 2-2 in their bye week. They were hit and miss. Everyone has stopped paying attention apparently, because now they fly under the radar.

Since the bye, the Eagles are 5-0. In their last four games, their point differential is +78, with three 20-point wins, each on the road. The schedule was easy, but the NFL doesn’t give away 20-point wins. The Eagles were good.

The Eagles are good enough on defense to limit Detroit. They’re sixth in defensive EPA (expected points added) according to TruMedia. Philadelphia has picked up new coordinator Vic Fangio’s schemes very well over the past few weeks. The Eagles defense is seventh in the NFL in EPA allowed per rush and ninth in success rate against the run, which is a good point to have against a Lions offense that can do it all, but by default they line up with an elite offensive line and two star backs and punishing the other defenses.

And Philly has the type of offense that can run it, control the clock and keep the Lions offense off the field. They are fourth in time of possession, largely because they are second in the NFL in rushing yards and first in attempts.

The formula and talent is there for the Eagles to be a big problem for the Lions.

The 49ers still have the edge

The 49ers would not be in the playoffs if the season ended today. They would be eighth in the NFC. The Cardinals would win the NFC West. The 5-4 49ers would not be a wild card.

But it’s time to go this season. And the 49ers are still scary if they can ever hit their ceiling.

San Francisco just brought back Christian McCaffrey, and while they won’t be whole this season as Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season, they still have a fantastic roster. Advanced stats say the 49ers are already good despite their disappointing record. I am fifth overall in DVOAthird in attack and fifth in defence. There are only two teams in the NFL that are top five in offensive and defensive DVOA: Detroit and San Francisco. They’re second in the NFL in yards per game and that’s without a Hall of Fame running back for eight games and Aiyuk not even making much of an impact in the seven games he’s played.

It’s okay to discount the 49ers. They don’t look as dominant as they have in recent seasons. They fought in many games. But it’s dangerous to forget about the 49ers. The analytics say they’re not that far off from the elite team they’ve been, and it’s the level of team that could heat up in December and present problems in January for a team like the Lions.

There is a long way to go this season. Injuries will occur. The Lions could drop a few games and lose control of the No. 1 seed. Other competitors could emerge. But at the very least, the Eagles and 49ers look like they could spoil Detroit’s plans to go to New Orleans for a Super Bowl this season.

After all, we have to figure out who the Kansas City Chiefs will inevitably face in the Super Bowl, right?